Kathy Hamilton Today I’m sharing five books about female empowerment you need to read. This list is only a drop of water in the ocean of fantastic feminist literature that has been published in the last decade. Nevertheless, I hope it serves as a good starting point. I also hope these books inspire you as much as they did me.
When I was at university my favourite lecturer introduced me to the concept of a Feminist Bookshelf. Mentioned in passing, her words struck me. As she taught us to approach literature with a critical eye, to think outside the box, I started to think what books about female empowerment I would add to my own ‘feminist bookshelf’?
Fast forward a few years and the conversation about Feminism no longer feels like it needs to be relegated to a single shelf. Instead, I’m bringing you this blog post! We are living in through a new wave of empowered women who strive to bring about change to every section of society. It’s exciting and necessary because I truly believe when everyone is empowered, great things can happen. Let’s get started, shall we?
1. Women and Power by Mary Beard
I like to think of this as feminism for bookish people. What does that mean exactly? Well, in this book (adapted from lectures given by Professor Mary Beard) the topic in question is how Women have traditionally been excluded from the public sphere and why. References to literature abound.
Mary Beard invites the reader to take a trip back to Ancient Greece and Rome via the Classics. Here she examines the way women have historically been silent and excluded from the public and political sphere. She weaves this narrative into a modern context cleverly and succinctly, looking in particular at the way the words we use to think about Women speaking are often detrimental to viewing them as powerful. And interesting thought-provoking book.
2. Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit
Rebecca Solnit is a leading light in modern feminism. And in her powerful essay ‘Men Explain Things to Me’ she almost single-handedly launched the concept of mansplaining. Defined as a man who explains (something) to someone, typically a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing.
This book of essays tackles many other topics, such as marriage equality, the pressure to have children and what it’s like to be a modern woman in a world that isn’t quite catching up fast enough. An excellent way to dip your toe into the world of modern feminism.
3. Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates
The book that launched a movement. Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates is a book that shouldn’t need to exist in 2018. In a world where it’s easy to brush off sexism as something that “doesn’t really happen anymore”, this book is necessary. If not a totally pleasant read. Laura Bates shines a light on the reality of Sexism in the 21st Century and offers us some suggestions for how we can tackle this issue.
I’ve include Everyday Sexism in this list of books about female empowerment because it, along with the social media project, gave 1000s of women suffering in silence a voice and an outlet. In many ways, I think it sowed the seeds for the #metoo movement. And brought a conversation about sexism back into the public conscious.
4. Nasty Women from 401 Ink
This is a crowd-funded collection of essays by women from all walks of life. It consequently created a sensation when it was first published earlier this year. The book goes into what it’s like to be a modern woman in the 21st century and covers topics as diverse as being Working Class, Life in a patriarchal family and even Modern Witch Craft.
Written by women who are sharing their own stories, this book has an immediacy that will resonate with you even if you aren’t experiencing the same conflicts. A ‘walk in her shoes’ look at what it’s like to be a woman today.
5. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Based on a 2013 TedTalk, We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a powerful personal essay. With her special combination of humour and eloquence, Ngozi Adichie explores what Feminism means to us today.
I am often guilty of forgetting to look outside my own experience sometimes. We Should All Be Feminists was a timely reminder of how feminism is at play in cultures and societies different from my own. An excellent, rallying cry of a book. And one of the best books about female empowerment out there.
A final note on One of The Best Books About Female Empowerment…
All five of the best books about female empowerment that feature in this blog post have been written within the last five years. I did this deliberately because I feel like we’re living through an exciting new wave of feminism. It’s driving us to new places and pulling down even more prejudices in a way that will (hopefully) make the world a fairer place.
However, I don’t think I could honestly post a post focusing on the best books about female empowerment without mentioning A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf.
For me, bar none, this is the best book about female empowerment. When I read it, I felt the sisterhood of women who had gone before me. I felt inspired. I realised what I debt I owe to the women who fought for my rights. And yes, I felt totally empowered. Hopefully, one of the books on this list does the same for you.
